Communication and Interaction Difficulties

Makaton is a language programme which involves speech and gesture, eye contact, body language and facial expression. It is based on a series of basic everyday words and uses speech as well as gesture and/or signs. Children who may be experiencing difficulty with their speech often find it much easier to understand and communicate using … Read More Makaton: an introduction

From a SLT angle, I tend to look for patterns of listening and patterns of words that are less-easily recalled for speech (or writing). We see a learner who may recall a word, but gets stuck with it ‘on the tip of their tongue’, or who uses words from a semantic group interchangeably, or who … Read More Dysnomia

Try to have the classroom as quiet as possible. Make sure you are facing the child directly when speaking to him/her or the class including him/her. Try to encourage the child to speak in short phrases. Give him/her enough time to say what he/she wants to. If you need him/her to repeat words, make it … Read More Teaching pupils with Dysarthia

Tell the child what should be done rather than what should not be done, e.g. “Put your book in your schoolbag” – rather than “Don’t put your book under the desk” Give the child an opportunity to explain things from his point of view. Use visual clues to help explain things, e.g. when it is time to … Read More Teaching pupils with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

So you’re teaching a child with Asperger’s Syndrome?! The first thing to remember is not to panic! Although children with Asperger’s Syndrome have certain needs which you will soon discover, there are also many positive aspects to consider (see article on Asperger’s Syndrome). When children with Asperger’s Syndrome are interested in a topic area, they … Read More Teaching Pupils with Asperger’s Syndrome

Pupils with autism very often have unusual fixations on parts of objects; they focus on objects as though through a tunnel. When using a computer this can mean they are able to focus totally on the screen and to block out all distractions around them. Using a computer can provide a very secure, comfortable environment … Read More ICT and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Speech and language difficulties usually fall into three categories, (though there may be other speech/language disorders such as those caused by physical deformities, e.g. dysarthia); expressive disorders, receptive disorders and phonological difficulties. A child with an expressive disorder finds it difficult to express his/her thoughts and feelings through speaking and writing. He/she may find it … Read More Speech and Language Disorders

This condition is a weakness of the muscles used for speaking. What to look for: The child might speak in a whisper, have slurred speech or appear to be talking through his nose. There may also be other physical problems related to their being unable to control their muscle movement. Children with cerebral palsy often … Read More Dysarthia

Autism is a medical diagnosis. The conditions involves a range of disorders affecting the way a person communicates and relates to people. There can be huge differences in the way it affects individuals and each child will need an individual approach to learning. Usually shows up within first three years of life; some children may … Read More Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)